Cuba

Questions regarding travel to Cuba for Americans come up fairly regularly on this forum and there's always a lot of misinformation/confusion so here's my Cut & Paste answer to address a few generalities. Some of this info will be applicable to you. Spoiler alert: Travel for American citizens is more straightforward and easy than many people realize. 1.) You can't go as a tourist. That said the OFAC General License very simple. It takes 3 seconds to check the box "Support for the Cuban People" and you're good to go. Yes, you're technically not allowed to spend money at certain Cuban institutions, and yes, you're supposed to document your activities but none of that is ever checked by anyone. i. Even when flying from Canada/Mexico/etc. the OFAC paperwork has to be filled out so flying via a third country is meaningless in terms of legality. ii. Cuba has been stamping Passports since the spring of 2014 but that old internet urban myth refuses to die. iii. It is perfectly legal for you as an American citizen to fly to Cuba from anywhere, this is not against any US law so long as the OFAC paperwork is submitted. Bottom line: Cuba will welcome you with open arms with zero restrictions. US CBP will welcome you home with open arms because no one cares about the OFAC paperwork. 2.) When departing from the US the Cuban Tourist Card/Visa (Republica De Cuba Visa - Tarjeta Del Turista) is purchased from your airline. You fill it out on the airplane. 3.) When departing from the US the compulsory Medical Insurance is included in the cost of your ticket. It's supplied by Asistur in Cuba. Your Boarding Pass serves as proof of insurance. 4.) Cuba's economy has imploded and shortages are common. It won't effect you directly as a tourist - or at least not in a big way - but don't expect a 7-11 on every corner or stocked supermarkets. Cuba is in dire straights right now and life for locals is VERY tough. 5.) No US cellular carriers have an agreement with Cubacel, but sometimes US cells magically work in Cuba although I have no clue what the bill looks like when you get home. Much easier to either purchase a Tourist SIM a WiFi Card instead. They're both available at any ETECA outlet, including the airport. The SIM you can purchase it in advance for pick-up, easy to Google. There are 1,000+ WiFi hotspots in Cuba so the WiFi card is handy if you don't need the SIM. The cards come in 30 minute, 1 hour and 5 hour increments. The 5 hours is 125 CUP, so kinda cheap for Cuba. The SIM from ETECA is about $25 for 6 GB and 100 minutes. 6.) Your US based credit/debit cards are useless so bring USDs that are in good shape with no writing on them, rips, tears, etc. Do not use a Bank or Cadeca to exchange for CUP (Cuban Pesos), exchange on the street for a decent boost over the official rate. Your casa particular owner or hotel concierge can help you with this. Lastly, with Cuba's economy in the toilet and massive shortages everywhere do not expect anything to be easy. The country is in dire straits. Many of the best and most interesting restaurants/bars are still closed. Prices for everything is through the roof. It's a horrible situation for the locals. Cuba is a crazy, intense, wonderful, sad, stimulating, horrific, vibrant, enthralling and completely divisive destination. Good luck and happy travels. It's a wild ride. More on reddit.com

I was in Cuba last year and loved it. However, I also speak Spanish and always stayed with locals. Regarding your question: It really depends on where you eat. In Havana and the tourist areas there are a few restaurants (if any) that always have everything in stock and therefore also have almost European prices. Besides that, there are of course many places where the locals eat. Mostly it's the kitchen of some family, where a mother cooks for the neighborhood. There it's super cheap, but usually there's only one dish. If you have more questions just let me know. More on reddit.com

Because on the outside Cuba looks like a great place with all these cool old style cars, public healthcare that was praised by W.H.O, and beautiful scenery with a vibrant culture. That is until you check under the hood, and see some of the horrible things Cuba has done. And to your comment I would've pointed out that Cuba only just recently legalized gay marriage in 2019. More on reddit.com

Congress, I would really appreciate it if y'all read the Constitution, spent some time with the Federalist Papers, and grew some fucking balls More on reddit.com